Tapia-Corona v. United States

Decision Date23 November 1966
Docket NumberNo. 21066.,21066.
Citation369 F.2d 366
PartiesAntonio TAPIA-CORONA, Appellant, v. UNITED STATES of America, Appellee.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — Ninth Circuit

George M. Sheets, Tucson, Ariz., for appellant.

William P. Copple, U. S. Atty., Jo Ann D. Diamos, Richard Allemann, Asst. U. S. Attys., Tucson, Ariz., for appellee.

Before CHAMBERS, BARNES and DUNIWAY, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:

The judgment of conviction is affirmed.

In this case of smuggling marijuana across the border near Nogales, Arizona, the government used at the time of the event an agent, Cameron, and a part-time informer, Calcedo. Tapia-Corona asserts entrapment and that he needed, and did not have, Calcedo as a witness to prove the point. The record is clear that the trial judge was satisfied that the government in good faith had made a reasonable effort to find Calcedo and had failed. This was enough. Velarde-Villarreal v. United States, 9 Cir., 354 F.2d 9; United States v. White, 2 Cir., 324 F.2d 814; United States v. Cimino, 2 Cir., 321 F.2d 509.

A contention is made that it was unfair not to have all English testimony (Tapia-Corona speaks only Spanish) instantly interpreted to him. The official Spanish interpreter sat at the defense counsel table and was available for immediate consultation. We hold he was not entitled to the perfection he would like to have had.

We find no error in denial of the bill of particulars. There is no reasonable claim of surprise on any testimony at the trial. The government made a prima facie case. The defendant did himself no good when he took the stand and related a highly improbable alibi.

Judgment affirmed.

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10 cases
  • People v. Avila
    • United States
    • California Court of Appeals Court of Appeals
    • August 8, 1967
    ...was convicted, and his conviction was affirmed. (People v. Kiihoa (1962) 209 Cal.App.2d 196, 25 Cal.Rptr. 813.)10 In Tapia-Corona v. United States (9 Cir. 1966) 369 F.2d 366, the view expressed by the majority in Velarde-Villarreal was reiterated by a unanimous court. It has also been state......
  • United States v. Desist, 313
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Second Circuit
    • October 13, 1967
    ...to have a personal interpreter give a simultaneous translation of what is being said in the courtroom.29 In Tapia-Corona v. United States, 369 F.2d 366 (9th Cir. 1966) (per curiam), the court held that a Spanish-speaking defendant was not entitled to "have all English testimony * * * instan......
  • U.S. v. Hart, s. 74-3001
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Ninth Circuit
    • July 22, 1976
    ...United States v. Leon, 487 F.2d 389 (9th Cir. 1973); United States v. Jenkins, 470 F.2d 1061 (9th Cir. 1972); Tapia-Corona v. United States, 369 F.2d 366 (9th Cir. 1966); Velarde-Villarreal v. United States, 354 F.2d 9 (9th Cir. The record discloses the essential facts. The government avail......
  • United States ex rel. Negron v. State of New York
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Eastern District of New York
    • March 26, 1970
    ...a case where a Spanish interpreter sat at the defense counsel table and was available for immediate consultation (Tapia-Corona v. United States, 369 F.2d 366 (9th Cir. 1966)), or where the defendant was able to afford a qualified interpreter. In United States v. Desist, 384 F.2d 889 (2d Cir......
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